FREEZING DISPUTE

Gisborne Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5665, 20 December 1920, Page 5

FREEZING DISPUTE

LARGE MEETING c OF LOCAL FARMERS on SATURDAY.

SPECIAL EFFORT TO SECURE A br SETTLEMENT. T JIEAtGROWmS TO INTmVIEW freezing companies.

The conference of representatives of employers and employees an the. freezine industry which has been sitting in Wellington in connection with the present dispute, has disbanded without having reached any settlement. , ~ . c Telegraphic information to this effect was received on Saturday from Mr W F Cederwall, who is representing the Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ F.M. and M. Co., at the conference. An earlier telegram stated that the representatives had sat in Friday but that no decision was reached and that the committees would continue their deliberations on Saturday. Advice received on Saturday afternoon intimated that the conference had resumed, but had finally terminated, without arriving at any decision, tlie employees representatives again refusing to accept the offer of the companies. At the time this informatmn was received in Gisborne, the directors of the Poverty Bay Freezing COS. were holding a meeting and they immediately that man should approach Mr C. a. Bridge, president of the Poverty Bay Farmers provinvial branch of the Farmers’ Union, and call an urgent meeting of farmers at d P-ui-that day for the purpose of considering the position, and deciding . what course should be adopted. • This meeting was not open to the Press, but interviewed yesterday afternoon Mr W. D. Lysnai, M.P., . stated that although the special notices were not issued until 1 p.m. there was a large and represents five meeting of farmers two hours j later. Mr C. H. Bridge occupied the ' o&i'ir and the accommodation of , ttil Farmers’ Union rooms was tax- J ed to the uttermost. j Details of the proceedings are j not available for publication, but j Mr Lysnar stated that, after an m- I formal discussion of tlie mam : principles involved in the dispute, | the following resolution was carried j unanimously by. the meeting: j “That a committee of five re- : presentative farmers of the dis- J trict be set up to act in con- i junction with representatives of the local freezing companies full power to endeavour to obtain a j settlement of the present dispute so far as it applies to this district. Each local freezing company to be asked to send three representatives of the committee to act with those companies who are ; willing to act. Anything tills j committee finally decides to do this meeting of farmers under- j takes to support.” j

The five members to form the committee representing the farmers were then appointed by the meeting. ■«

EFFECT ON FAT LAMB TRADE

VERY • FEW FARMERS

AFFECTED

The recently published statement that the idleness in the freezing industry would vitally effect tlie fat lamb trade was contradicted by a prominent sheepfarmer yesterday. This gentleman explained that usual- - lv a small percentage of lambs are selected before the ewes arc shorn,

as subsequently there is a possibility of them becoming nus-mother-ed. The bulk of the lambs, however are not sent to the freezer until some months after shearing has finished. It was admitted that a small percentage of the lambs might temporarily lose condition tlirougn being mis mothered hut it was pointed out thafc-w'in view of the abundance _ of feed' this season they would rapidly pick tup again, and although later than) usual would possibly realise comparatively better prices than if sent to the freezer before they had been weaned. The farmers who would ho in this position would, however, be few, as the majority do not make a practice of sending their lambs to the freezer until January or February and even later. The few fanners who would be affected m this way bv the closed .freezing works would not therefore Have cause for anx.ety unless they were short of feed. j